VERSUS XIII
by UnraveledKaneki
Summary: As the noise of high heels approach the tired crown prince of Insomnia, he dozes off and wonders about how life got to this conflict. This story is a re-imagining of FF Versus XIII with some FFXV/personal elements thrown in. Rated M for mild sexual content and violence.
1. Intro and Prologue

_Note:_ _ **FINAL FANTASY VERSUS XIII**_ _was intended to release for the PlayStation 3 sometime in the early 2010's after the release of FINAL FANTASY XIII. The game was ultimately cancelled and re-formed into the 2016 PlayStation 4/Xbox One title,_ _ **FINAL FANTASY XV.**_ _FINAL FANTASY XV kept some of the characters and the basic plot of VERSUS XIII intact for the sake of not wasting the original vision and work of the VERSUS XIII team, however, FINAL FANTASY XV's actual story was almost entirely different to that of VERSUS XIII in the end, due to a change of director from Tetsuya Nomura to Hajime Tabata._

 _This story is my attempt at re-creating the much darker VERSUS XIII plot, staying as true as possible to Nomura's vision. The events, locations and such will be taken from all_ _pre-2010_ _footage of VERSUS XIII, therefore_ _ **Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto may or may not appear (as at this time, the only key characters shown were Noctis, Stella and Regis.)**_ _. If you have played FINAL FANTASY XV recently,_ _do not expect a retelling of the same story from that game._ _The central concept is still somewhat similar, involving a conflict between Lucis and Nifilheim in a world of Crystals, but this will have more VERSUS elements than XV elements._ _ **There will be elements of my own added to the plot in order to flesh it out,**_ _and references to other FINAL FANTASY locations and characters and such, but nothing too fourth-wall breaking (similar to how FINAL FANTASY XV's version of Insomnia had billboards advertising a place with the word "Balamb" in the name)._ _ **There will be medium sexual elements added to the plot, not for sex's sake but for genuine character traits and development.**_

 _Also, as VERSUS XIII was intended to be part of the_ _ **FABULA NOVA CRYSTALIS**_ _Mythos, the terms 'L'Cie' and "fal'Cie" may be included in this plot to help tie into that mythos, however the terms meanings differ between games (A L'Cie in FINAL FANTASY XIII is different to a L'Cie in FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0), so I will clearly explain either directly or indirectly to you what they mean._

 _I hope you enjoy._

 _Dillon Sheil._

 ** _This is a fantasy based on reality._**

 ** _~PROLOGUE~_**

It had been a long night for the crown prince as he half stared across the room, hearing the clatter of high heels echoing across the palace floor, slowly approaching his throne. The muffled roar of gunfire and war outside the Citadel was nothing compared to the constant clacking which was irritating him immensely.

The crown prince of Insomnia needed sleep.

He sighed and put his closed fist up against his chin, crossing his left leg over his right and leaned back into the rather comfortable black throne. The dimly lit charcoal throne room was quite a spacious area for just one person to occupy, thought the crown prince. His eyes wandered around as the footsteps grew louder and louder. Soon, _she_ and her retinue would be here to claim the crystal of Lucis from its last remaining vessel, the crown prince – Noctis Lucis Caelum.

 _She_ represented the enemy, a fact Noctis himself found particular hatred in. The enemy. _Niflheim._ The country that ruled most of the land of Eos, and that was kept out of Lucis due to its crystal.

But the crystal had been growing weak for quite some time now, and Niflheim took advantage of that fact.

Niflheim ruled all regions of the planet of Eos from Palamecia in the north-west, to the Lucian border at Leide in the mid-east. Noctis was not going to let the Niflheim empire take his kingdom. He took a deep breath again, the heels coming ever closer, and shut his eyes, preparing for the battle ahead. He began to think of how things came to this point, and how his love for _her_ could not be fulfilled in the current political climate. The L'Cie, the all-powerful demi-gods of Eos, foretold of this invasion. Noctis himself knew that things would not end well for Lucis, but he was damn well sure he didn't want Niflheim to capture the last crystal keeping the light in the City that Never Sleeps – Insomnia.

But Noctis didn't care about any of that in this very instant. He just wanted his mind to doze off for a minute or two.

For the crown prince of Insomnia needed sleep.


	2. Chapter 1: Eating, thinking, fal'Cie-ing

**_Koyokoyo Balamb Restaurant, Insomnia  
December 31_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXV, 8:00PM_**

"Son, we need to talk." Said King Regis to his son, who was looking down at his plate of vegetables in disgust. "We are talking…" he replied, playing with a carrot and looking rather dejected. "Not small talk, real talk" pleaded Regis. Noctis absent mindedly looked up at the rather tall man sitting straight up (as expected of royalty) who was his father.

"About what?" whined Noctis, who wasn't really engaged with his father. He wiped some crumbs off the sleeve of his expensive tailored black suit. "About your future. I'm not getting any younger, son" he says, flexing his facial muscles to emphasize how wrinkled his skin has become. At the age of 55, Regis was right; he wasn't getting younger, and Noctis knew this too. As Regis' only son and the fact that Regis was widowed, Noctis would replace him as King. Currently, Noctis is 19, which would make him the youngest person to ascend to the Lucian throne in History.

"I know dad, but you're not dying or anything, right? Ignis has been taking good care of you, so has Nurse Iris." He said, leaning back into his chair. The piano in the background was playing a piece which Noctis was not overly familiar with, and it began to annoy him slightly. He couldn't place where he'd heard that melody before and it was bugging him.

Regis meanwhile, wiped his lip of fatty juices which flowed from the freshly chewed beef in his mouth. "My health is the least of my concerns boy. You know the situation and I'm surprised we haven't had this discussion before; We're at war here, and if something were to happen to me and then subsequently to you, the bloodline of Lucis would cease to exist. You are my only son and you have not found a woman yet whom you intend to marry. Who would take the throne in your stead if you do not bear fruit? Commander Strife? Marshall Cor? We can't let those militaristic dogs on our thrones…"  
"And yet you refuse to sign a peace treaty that Niflheim offer?"

"I don't trust those barbaric Nifs." Regis says in disgust. "Ever since they discovered Magitek 125 years ago, they've been ruthlessly expanding the military and their land in Eos. We're the last independent nation on this planet. Our wall won't hold forever you know. The Crystal is linked to my spirit and one day, will be linked to yours, my boy. When that spirit within you fails from your death, heartbreak or lack of care, it will be the end of Insomnia and Lucis."

"I don't plan on letting Lucis down, Father. I'm just saying, maybe the Nifs are really gunning for this treaty."

"Gunning being the operative word" Regis looks to the side and sips his primly aged red wine to add emphasis to the sarcasm. Noctis sighed and stood up from the table.

"Where are you going boy?" asked his father.

"For a walk. You're getting on my nerves" he says, turning away from his father, who watched on in shock as his only son walked out of the restaurant.

 ** _Central Street, Insomnia  
December 31_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXV, 8:30 PM_**

Noctis – despite being the crown prince of Insomnia – was comfortable walking down the street in public. For one, he wasn't as into the whole "regal responsibility" thing as his father was. He just wanted to see what life was like for the average Lucian. He even went to a public High School before graduating 18 months ago. He was accompanied by his bodyguard, Ravus Nox Fleuret. Originally a member of the Niflheim royal family, Ravus abandoned them for they had abandoned him and switched allegiances to Lucis in the Eosian War. Despite being Noctis' bodyguard for the better part of five years now, he and Ravus rarely spoke, and Ravus kept a distance which was effective for defense yet let Noctis have his personal space.

"Damn father making me spend the new year by myself…" Noctis sighs to himself, Ravus feeling rather sad at his apparent lack of existence in Noctis' life. "Maybe I'll head to the Tower, I might find someone there." He speaks to himself quietly. After walking down the streets of Insomnia for around a half hour, he finally arrives at the Tower of Lucis, a tall megastructure famous for its stunning views of the Lucian countryside. Even though it was night time, people still felt compelled to travel up the tower to see the stunning lights of Insomnia from up above.

"Ravus" commanded Noctis, his bodyguard standing right beside him. "Wait here, okay? I'll press the button if things go south" said Noctis, referring to the emergency button on his phone. If Noctis was ever in a spot of bother, he simply needed to tap the button and Ravus would come to his assistance. Ravus nodded in reply to Noctis, and sat on a chair at the outside café. Noctis meanwhile, began ascending the tower.

 ** _Tower of Lucis, Insomnia  
December 31_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXV, 8:40 PM_**

It had been about six years since Noctis had last entered the lobby at the top of the tower of Lucis. The last time he came here was with his childhood friend, Iris, who was now working as the household nurse in the Citadel, directly for the royal family. Iris was content with her role, but not fully satisfied. She missed spending time with Noctis, as he did with her. With the fact of ascension to the throne becoming a very real prospect to him, Noctis had to reconsider his choices so far in life. Perhaps he was far too harsh to his father, who wanted to put Lucis first. But it had always been Lucis first, Noctis second, a fact which Noctis had carried as a burden his whole life. Since the death of his mother at a young age, despite his father's best efforts, Noctis could not identify a single person he could've called a role model growing up. He took a deep breath and walked over to the bar and ordered a Double Vodka. Noctis wasn't one to go easy on the alcohol whenever the chance presented itself, which was rare.

"That'd be 600 Gil please sir" said the well-mannered bartender. Noctis took out a black and silver card and swiped it through the machine which debited his account of the 600 gil. The bartender bowed and walked away to serve another patron of the bar. Noctis sat there and slowly drank away the powerful drink, getting a kick every time the vodka etched its way down his throat. He swivelled the chair around and faced the mural of the creator of the world, the fal'Cie. Where the fal'Cie came from, man did not know, but man worshipped fal'Cie as fal'Cie loved man, according to the history books. However it was not the fal'Cie which caught Noctis' attention.

It was that gorgeous woman in the white dress.


	3. Chapter 2: Interstellar

**_A meeting predestined by the divine._**

 ** _Tower of Lucis, Insomnia  
December 31_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXV, 8:50PM_**

Noctis knew who that gorgeous woman was just by her look; Stella Nox Flueret, second in line to the Imperial Throne in Niflheim. Noctis was astounded by how beautiful her long slender body was, which had the right amount of curve in the right places. Nifl women were generally considered to be far more attractive than those in Lucis. Noctis never remembered any women who were particularly pretty, other than Iris in his life. She was Ravus' second cousin, which is why the Imperial family didn't mind too much when Ravus switched sides to Lucis. Noctis didn't really care too much about the family connections right now; _he just wanted to adore Stella._ He stood up from his stool at the bar and walked northwards to the mural of the fal'Cie, its mystical presence emanating throughout the room. Noctis walked over and stood not too far, but not too close from Stella and pretended to be heavily interested in the mural.

" _Noctis, you see the light too, don't you?_ "

He turned his head round to the left and eyes her in surprise. Her gaze remained fixed unaverred towards the fal'Cie mural.

"That depends on what you mean by 'light', Your Highness…" he retorts uncomfortably. He's not used to addressing other royal people, minus his father on the rare occasion. "Well it's simple: the light of this city." She responds, looking back at him with a grin on her face. Despite her being a member of the enemy, Noctis couldn't give a damn: she looked far too gorgeous for him to care.

"Well yeah, I look at it every day and every night. Nothing really changes. Koyokoyo Balamb might have a new advertisement up, but that's about it…" replied the prince to the princess.

"No Noctis, the light of the crystal which _is in essence_ this very city. You know how it feels, right?"

"Well…there are things I just "know", and I have no idea how…" he says in a dejected tone, referring to his eventual fate as future king of Lucis.

"Come now, crown prince. Don't look so dejected all of a sudden. Come with me to the bar, we have much to discuss."

Noctis raised an eyebrow in concern. "Like what?"

" _Your dreams, Noctis."_

A puzzled look grew over Noctis' face, not that it could really be seen through his fringe which covered most of his upper face. He had thought about getting it cut but, he wouldn't dare do so: Iris would laugh at him for weeks if he did. She always laughed. He didn't know why. She didn't care to explain why. Perhaps she just thought he looked silly with short hair. Noctis' mind wandered back to the present moment and he followed Stella over to the bar.

"Two Martini's please, double up on the cherry flavour if you wouldn't mind my handsome barman" Stella gave the barman a flirtatious wink, teasing him to fall in favour with her so she could maybe perhaps score a discount on a drink later in the night.

"Have you ever read _Somnus_ , Noctis?" Stella inquires whilst waiting for the powerful alcoholic beverage.

"Well yeah, all members of the Lucian royal have to know the song off by heart. It was written two regal eras ago by Zidane Lucis Caelum, my father's grandfather. It is one of the greatest pieces of art in Lucian history and is our family's anthem yada yada yada….what's your point, Y'highness?" Noctis started to lose interest in the conversation. His drink arrived though, and he began sipping it. He didn't like the taste too much. It tasted too….sweet, for his liking.

"Does this song not invade your dreams, Prince Noctis? Dreams are funny and fickle things. For every dream, there is a corresponding nightmare." Stella began to explain in a most relaxed and somewhat sultry tone.

"And what is the nightmare of my dream?" he asks.

"That's obvious Noctis; you _fear love_." She says, smirking at him again.

Noctis' eyes widen as anger grows over his conscience. "What th- what the HELL do YOU know about what I think about love?! Huh?! I know what love is. I know where my heart resides. You're sounding just like my father. You think I don't know that I need to find someone to continue my bloodline!? Man, _fuck you._ You don't know SHIT about me or who I am or what I desire or anyth-"

"But you desire me and this body…" she replies, crawling into his body. She places her hand on his inner thigh and pushes her arms against her breasts to increase the already voluminous cleavage on display. "Or are you like all other men who are headed by nothing but lust and primitive desires…" she leans harder into him, giggling a devilish giggle.

Noctis' breathing and thinking become ragged and scattered respectively. This gorgeous woman was teasing him, causing him all sorts of problems both mentally and – of course- physically. His rather apparent erection no doubt catching Stella's eye. "What….are you trying to get at here, Stella…"

"I'm just saying Noctis, that perhaps you should consider your future carefully. You wouldn't want this thing down here to go to waste would you? Or are you fine fantatsining over that friend of yours, Iris or whatever her name is."

"What does my relationship with Iris have to do with you?"

"Everything Noctis, for you and I are destined to meet and are destined for great things. We can't have your love for someone so irrelevant get in the way."

"Why would you assume I loved Iris? How do you even know something as vague as that?" Noctis asks, concerned.

"Pfft, you and that girl grew up together. It's a natural assumption. As regards to the other point, it's because our two countries will only come to a truce if a diplomatic treaty is signed in one form or another by representatives of each state."

"Your point being?"

"You have the power to end the war Noctis, all you have to do is sign this document." Stella pulls out a very official looking document. On the front page, the words " _Articles of Agreement for a truce between the Empire of Niflheim and the Kingdom of Lucis, dated Regis XXV/XXVI (subject to signing date) & Lunafreya III/IV (subject to signing date)" _could be seen.

Noctis thought about the power in his hands for a brief moment. If he signed this document, Niflheim and Lucis would halt the war. Bloodshed and destruction would come to an end. The peace he longed to see would finally come true.

But, Noctis knew he couldn't sign without his father's permission.

"I can't. I'm not in charge round here. Sorry." He said matter of factly to Stella, who looked visibly disappointed.

"My my Noctis, still living in daddy's shadow, are we? I expected much more from a big boy like you. But I guess you're just too much of a kid."

Noctis smiles and rolls his eyes in response, dusting off the shoulders on his suit. "Ohhh, reaaall mature there Stella. Why'd you want _me_ to sign so bad. Why not get the old man?"

"Noctis, you know as well as I that your father has a particular disdain for my people. He doesn't trust them in the slightest."

"I know that, but I don't want to betray him like that. I'll let him know about your offer. Please, let me have a look at that treat-"

"Nope. Since you're not signing, you're not getting a single peek" she puts a finger up and winks at him, sticking out her tongue too to add insult to injury. "It's not like that there's anything in here that'd concern a _prince_ anyways."

"Fucking hell fine, I'll sign your damn treaty" he says, infuriated by how easily manipulated he is.

"I'll only let you if you do one thing for me."

Noctis lets out a heavy sigh. "What?"

"You have to _sleep with me tonight."_


	4. Chapter 3: Agito

**_Tower of Lucis, Insomnia  
December 31_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXV, 10 PM_**

"You have to _sleep with me tonight."_

Stella's words echoed in Noctis' ears for a moment, causing him to blank out for a split second. He shook his head and collected his thoughts. He had to be professional about this. As much as he wanted to climb into a bed and have fun with Stella all night long, there would be scandals if someone saw them leave together to head upstairs to the private suite. Plus Stella wasn't in the right mindset to make that kind of decision, thought Noctis. She was far too drunk to think of any rational reason to sleep with Noctis other than to try and bid him into signing that treaty for a quick fuck. However, as Noctis thought about the situation, he thought about how the drunken act could be exactly that – an act.

"I'm ashamed Stella, I thought a lady in your position would have more class than to drunkenly sleep with someone on New Years' Eve. "He said with a smirk. Stella frowned in return.

"Aww Noctis, surely you jest. I thought you were going to be a real man and dominate me like the king you shall becom-"

"Watch your words, Nox Flueret. You're bordering on treason. " Noctis stated matter of factly. "The king of Lucis is Regis Lucis Caelum. I am merely a prince. A prince you have failed to seduce tonight with meaningless words." Stella looked back at him in shock, somewhat unnerved by his sudden change in character. Thinking for a moment about how forward she was, Stella composed herself and bowed.

"I am most sorry, Prince Noctis. I realise my mistakes and wish to cause you no further hindrance whilst I stay here in Insomnia. I shall take my leave to my room now. Goodnight." She turns around to leave, but Noctis has another idea.

"Hey, you don't want to spend the New Year alone, would you?" he says scratching his head, slightly embarrassed. Perhaps having Stella as a good acquaintance, or even a _friend might be beneficial._

"You would spend the evening with me, even though I've been rather horrid?" she replies, her cheeks a deep crimson colour blushing from embarrassment. "Would you not go home and spend it with the King and Iris?" her tone has change suddenly from earlier. Noctis smiles at her and says "Nah, my dad's kinda bugging me at the moment, and I don't want to be around Iris when dad's in a huff." He walked out the glass door onto the thick black steel of the balcony, and laid his arms on the guardrail as the night ended.

* * *

 ** _Imperial Palace, Tenebrae, Empire of Niflheim  
December 31_** ** _st_** ** _, Lunafreya III, 10:30 PM_**

The empress looked down upon the city of Tenebrae from upon her throne, two security gaurds on either side with a thick sheet of bulletproof Perspex in front of her. She called over one of her assistants, Prompto Argentum, a member of a family truly loyal to the Niflheim Imperial Family.

"You called, Your Highness?" he questions as he bows.

"Has Stella made contact with the Prince yet?" she asks nonchalantly.

"We have received word from Insomnia that she has. Apparently she tried seducing the prince into sleeping with her."

"Tch, how shameless, and to think that nymphomaniac is the successor to the throne…the sooner we have the Lucian crystal, the better… " a smile creeping onto her face. The sound from the PR Speaker began to ring loudly around the main square in Tenebrae, a man's voice could be heard emanating from it.

" _Attention loyal subjects of Niflheim, please stand for the Winter Address of her Royal Empress Lunafreya Nox Flueret IV"_ A thunderous applause could be heard all around the city as people tuned into their TV sets and radios and gathered round the Imperial Palace to hear the Empress's speech.

"My loyal subjects, you have suffered too long. This war with those Lucian dogs has been strenuous, but rest assured, we are close to victory. It is only a matter of time before Regis signs a treaty that will leave our Empire in a much more beneficial position than before. We will not falter. We will persevere through thick and thin. Our Magitek army, the product of endless years of research by Dr. Polazzo, will CRUSH ANY RESISTANCE THE LUCIANS PUT UP!" A resounding cheer could be heard all throughout the city.

"LONG LIVE THE EMPIRE!" Cried out the Empress emphatically, her eyes widening to the prospect that soon, Stella would get Noctis to sign the treaty…

…and Lucis would be in her grasp.

* * *

 _A/N: Sorry for the delay and short chapter lengths. Hope this wasn't too edgy or anything for you guys. I think this'll turn out well. I'm just trying to establish Stella and Noct's relationship to be more realistic, though inevitably, there will be a rushed feel._

 _Don't worry though, plenty of tragedy to come. Just be patient._


	5. Chapter 4: The Call of Duty

**_Central Street, just outside the Citadel, Insomnia,  
January 1_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXVI, 00:00 AM_**

After leaving Stella and the tower behind him, Noctis caught up with Ravus and began walking back to the Citadel, knowing full well that his father would give him a talk on "regal responsibility" and "professionalism" and things that, at that moment and time, didn't really matter to Noctis. He was worried about one thing though – Iris, his father's closest nurse and maid. At the ripe young age of only 18, Iris had ascended the ranks frightently quickly in the Citadels health department. She had grown up and had gone to a public school along with Noctis all their lives, from kindergarten all the way to graduating from High School a couple of years ago.

Noctis shook his head and began to think back to his encounter with Stella.

"Man I don't know what it was but, there's something about her that's quite, enamouring…"

"Sir?" questioned Ravus, who Noctis had forgotten was not only related to Stella, but he also quite disliked. If he'd found out that Noctis had met with Stella, Regis would be informed at once and all hell would break loose.

"Oh it's nothing, Ravus" the Prince lying to his bodyguard. A vibrating phone could be felt in Noctis' right hand pocket. Noctis swiped open his phone to check the caller I.D.

 _Iris._

Noctis sighed audibly, which somewhat amused Ravus. He tapped the green confirm icon on his phone and put it to his left ear.

"Look Iris I don't need a lecture now on how I shouldn't be hanging out late at nig-"

"Noct, the King has fainted. Get home ASAP." And without another word, the call ended, and Noctis' eyes widened in horror. He stood motionless, mouth gaped wide open and phone still attached to his ear for a brief moment until Ravus interjected.

"Ehm, Sir? Is everything okay?"

"We gotta get back. Now."

 ** _King's Ward, Citadel Hospital, Insomnia  
January 1_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXVI, 00:15 AM_**

Noctis and Ravus were asked to wait outside by the medical staff until a full analysis of the King's body could be completed. Noctis begrudgingly agreed and sat beside another friend of his and Iris' older brother, Gladiolus (or as Noctis called him, Gladio) who served as a mentor to Noctis and was a member of the Kingsglaive: a group of people handpicked by the king to be his protectors.

"What the hell happened Gladio…" questioned the prince, desperate to get some answers.  
"It seems as if His Highness' has fallen ill. Perhaps it's a fever, perhaps it's something far worse. I dunno what will happen now kiddo."  
"I'm not that much younger than you, you know…" said Noctis begrudgingly.  
"Oh cheer up, I'm just trying to lighten up the mood" said Gladiolus, smirking lightly.

Seconds turned to minutes, which turned to hours.

Eventually, Iris came out of the ward room.

"I have good news and I have bad news…" said Iris

"Good news?" asked Ravus, with haste.

"The good news is that the king is alive."

"And the bad news…" asked Noctis, staring into Iris' eyes.

"We won't be able to sustain him without obtaining a tuft of Mega-Phoenix"

"WHAT!?" Noctis slammed his fist into the wall, wide-eyed and angry.

"His condition requires the highest grade of curative. He's seemingly developing some sort of tumor that only a Mega-Phoenix can cure. He's not in great pain, but it will develop and quite rapidly. We need to act fast." Iris says matter of factly.

Noctis inhaled deeply. "…Where can you get a Mega-Phoenix in Lucis?"

"U-Unfortunately, they're only available in the Tenebrae region…"

"You mean…we'd have to import it from Niflheim?" asked Noctis

"But there's a blockade due to the war! We can't simply import one Sir!" States Ravus.

"…So we'll go there and get one…" says Noctis, turning away and walking out of the Hospital.

 ** _Noctis Lucis Caelum's Bedroom, The Citadel, Insomnia  
January 1_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXVI, 1:00 AM_**

Noctis had been sitting on his bed for a good half an hour now. All sorts of thoughts had been running through his head. How in the name of fal'Cie was he going to go into enemy territory, obtain – through whatever means necessary – a rare curative resource, and get back into Lucis without sparking an international incident? It was inconceivable to him, but he had to. Otherwise he would become the King of Lucis, something he didn't want to happen for a while at the very least. Noctis lay back on the bed and closed his eyes, wanting this crazy night filled with sexual advances, interesting conversations, and ill fathers to pass.

 ** _Throne Room, The Citadel, Insomnia  
January 1_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXVI, 12:00 PM_**

Noctis stood beside Iris, Gladioulus and Ravus before the king, who looked pale and tired. Noctis couldn't believe that this was actually happening.

"So to repeat again, you, Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum, shall overtake my duties as King for the rest of the month whilst I recover. However I do have a request for you. Under the highest of recommendations from Nurse Iris, you are to go to Tenebrae undetected and obtain a Mega-Phoenix which is to be used in my recovery plan. You will be accompanied, in my last act as King for now, by the new Kingsglaive."

"What?!" said Noctis out loud, questioning his father's intentions.

"Ravus Nox Flueret, Iris Amicita and Gladiolus Amicitia, you are to accompany the prince on this mission into enemy territory. Despite his protests, he cannot do this alone. You all understand the risks at hand."

"Father, why risk Iris in this?" asked Noctis in defiance. "She is the best nurse in the land! Surely she should stay by your side here instead of risking her life an-"

"Obtaining a Mega-Phoenix which will heal the king is part of my job Noct. " said Iris, trying to stand up for herself. "Besides, I can kick some ass too if I need to." She says, smiling at Noctis.

"Damn right she can" her brother exclaims, laughing slightly.

"Then it is settled. You four shall go now. What awaits you four, you do not know. Each of you carry the spirit of the Kingsglaive that has shined brightly for the past 2,000 years. You are our Warriors of Light. You shall stand up in these treacherous times and bring peace to our lives once more."

"Yeesh Father, you're making this seem way more grandiose than it is…" said Noctis, scratching the back of his head. The party of four bowed their heads towards the King, and made their way out of the Citadel, beginning their long journey towards the Imperial Capital.


	6. Chapter 5: Stand Your Ground

**_Insomnia Highway M50, Just outside the town of Kalm, Insomnia  
January 1_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXVI, 14:00PM_**

It had been two hours since the party had left the Crown City in search for the Mega-Phoenix which would be imperative if they wanted the King to live much longer. Noctis, sitting in the back seat of the car with his face resting on his fist, half stared at the fantastical countryside surrounding the Highway. Despite having grown up exclusively in the concrete jungle that was Insomnia, Noctis wasn't overly awed by the serene scenery surrounding him. With a grunt, he turned back into the car and faced towards Iris, who was sleeping beside him. Despite having seen her almost every day of his life, Noctis couldn't help but admire how cute he thought Iris looked at this one single moment.

"Hey big guy, we're stopping for gas." Said Galdio, interrupting the thoughts of the Prince.  
"S-sure." Noctis said, trying to regain some composure. After a minute, Ravus pulled the car off the highway onto the National Road and pulled over a few miles down at the local Coernix Petrol Station.

"Hey Gladio, I'm gonna go look around for a bit. I won't be too long. I'll take Ravus with me so you don't have to worry" said Noctis, trying to find some form of entertainment out of the trip.

"Whatever, just don't do anything stupid or else Iris will get mad and I don't wanna listen to her bitching all the way through the car ride" said Gladio in a half joking, half serious tone.

"Yeah don't worry man" said Noctis, waving him off whilst Ravus walked over and joined him. Noctis was somewhat eager to see what kind of things awaited him in the wild prairies in front of him, after all, he had been kept in the city all his life. Such lush green fields with patches of flowers and bush had been a mystery to him until now. He didn't want to admit it, but right now, Noctis felt the most free he ever had in his whole life. It was as if – but for a single moment – he didn't have a single care in the wor –

"YOUR HIGHNESS, BEHIND YOU!" Shouted Ravus. Noctis, letting out a gasp, snapped out of his nature trance and looked behind him. His eyes found themselves fixed upon a group of 5 Green Goblins, all with their small daggers drawn and definitely with an intent to kill. Noctis however, didn't fret.

"WARP STRIKE!" within the blink of an eye, Noctis had used the power of his ancestors to use his weapon, the Engine Blade, to warp right behind one of the Goblins and proceeded to swiftly slice it in half, much to the dismay of its comrades which were now visibly pissed off. Noctis raised a brow at Ravus who quickly swept into action, drawing his large broadsword from its scabbard on his left. With one quick move, Ravus had gouged the head of two Goblins which killed them instantly. Noctis took a quick step back and shouted over to his partner

"Hey Ravus! Time to put that team training to use!" he said with a smirk. Ravus promptly nodded back at the prince, and the two rushed in and simultaneously dealt with the remaining Goblins, who dropped a small bit of Gil and a Bronze Bangle. Noctis wiped the dirt off his pants and gave Ravus a pat on the back.

"Thanks for the head's up. Guess we can't be too carefree out here, haha" laughed the prince. Ravus then gave him a serious look.

"Your majesty, this was nothing. We have far greater perils ahead, especially once we travel over the border into Niflheim. Don't treat this like a game."

"Jeez, you're no fun" said the prince with a sarcastic remark. The two began walking back to where their car, the Lindblum, was parked. Iris was chilling in the backseat listening to her favourite album, " _The Promise"_ by the famed Lucian artist, Farron. The way she napped her head against the headrest, and smiled when she slept…maybe Stella was right. Maybe Noctis did harbour romantic feelings for Iris. He shook it off. Right now, he had to focus on the task at hand.

Gladiolus came outside about a minute after Noctis and Ravus returned from the prairie. The state of Ravus' normally pristine jacket gave off the vibe that something was up.

"You two okay? Anything happen?" and before Ravus could even get a chance, Noctis butted in.

"Just some Goblins, no biggie."

"Oh, okay. Anyways, I thought you guys might be interested in seeing this" Gladiolus waved the afternoons newspaper. The headline raised the eyebrows of Noctis and Ravus.

" _WAR: NIFLHEIM INCREASES AMOUNT OF SOLDIERS AT BORDER REGIONS – INVASION OF INSOMNIA INEVITABLE?"_

"…..fuck…" muttered Noctis. "This is bad."

"We can't worry about it too much. We gotta get to Tenebrae. And we gotta do it prompto." Gladiolus said with a worried tone. Noctis nodded in agreement, and the three men joined Iris in the car and continued their journey, with Niflheim still far, far out of reach.


	7. Chapter 6: Swift and Painless

**_Onboard the Cornelia, the Main Airship of the Niflheim Army, Insomnian Airspace Border,  
January 1_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXVI/Lunafreya IV, 14:30 PM_**

"Is Stella in position?" pondered the Empress of Niflheim, adjusting herself in her warm bathtub, issuing commands over the radio.

"Uhm, we believe so Your Highness, she has apparently 'set her trap', I'm not really sure what that means though." Said an officer over the clear radiowaves.

"She better not try anything funny like last time…she's already fucked five of her guard and fired whomever couldn't please her…which meant I had to hire five more fucking guards for her." The Empress grew angry and placed two fingers on her forehead, performing a circling motion trying to soothe the headache that was beginning to muster in her skull. It was only a matter of time though before Lucis fell and the Lucian Crystal – the power and light of Lucis and the planet – were in her hands. The overwhelming feeling of confidence grew and grew within her and was about to reach boiling point.

"Forgive me for asking, Your Highness, but why does Lady Stella need to get the Lucian Prince to sign that Treaty anyways?" asked the officer, still on the air. "Isn't that counter-productive to our plan of invasion?"

"Oh we don't need Stella to sign the Treaty for Invasion, but in order to one-up the King of Lucis. See, what Noctis doesn't know is that the Treaty I've issued Stella with has a clause that the Niflheim Empire will have possession of all Lucian Royal Family possessions, which means we techinically in the eyes of fal'Cie, own the Crystal and have the power to use it whatever way we see."

"Ah, how clever! Only our great Empress could think of such an ingenious plan to inva-"

"Quiet, Vermin" the Empress said with a poisonous tone, turning her communications off. "I need to enjoy my bath and your lowly words are intruding…" The Empress laid back in the tub, the sounds of water the only thing to stimulate her auditory senses. She closed her eyes and began to dream…

…a dream which would soon become reality.

 ** _The town of Dune, Just past the Border, Niflheim  
January 1_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXVI, 17:32 PM_**

Gladiolus was a man who had a lot of patience and stamina – just not when it came to driving a car. Whilst Ravus did offer to take the wheel, Noctis insisted that he put his driving lessons to the test when they were leaving the town of Dune. But that wouldn't happen until tomorrow as the party agreed to stay in Dune for the night, given that the next town is a seven-hour drive away which, while not impossible by any means of the imagination, would certainly drain the party of any motivation. This was Noctis and Iris' first foray into Niflheim territory, and if they weren't careful, it could be their last. Despite being the Lucian Prince, Noctis found himself strolling through the town unrecognised by any Nif. He shrugged it off and was thankful for the lack of attention on him for once.

Minus Iris, who was sticking by him like a puppy.

"Hey Noct, there's a nice spot you can look at the Great Valley at from over there! Let's go!" she cried out with excitement as she ran over to the viewing area. Noctis sighed and walked – at his own pace of course – towards the viewing area where a stunning view of the Great Valley awaited him. His jaw dropped in amazement as never in his life had he seen anything quite like it. He had read books about the geography of Niflheim but even the beautiful countryside in Lucis couldn't have prepared him for this. The view of the world in front of him put Noctis in a trance, which was quickly broken by the sounds emanating from Iris' mouth

"… _let the voice of love, take you higher  
And I will love you even more  
Till the day that you'll find the light  
1999 Bizarre Summer  
Every road will lead us to a memory of  
Great Days…"_

Noctis simply stared in awe at the singing Iris, who noticed his viewing of her.

"O-Oh, sorry if that was weird or anything.." she said blushing and breaking their gaze.

"No, you're fine. Why sing that song though?" asked the Prince.

"Don't you remember that we always sang that song as kids? Silly Noct" she gave him a joking jostle and the prince laughed.

"Yeah I do, I guess it's somewhat fitting given our current predicament…" he said, his words trailing off as he once again took in the serene view of the Great Valley below.

"Yeah, that's true. I mean, we may have troublesome times ahead but, I'm sure that as the days go by, we'll create some amazing memories together, you and I." she smiled as she said those words, her cheeks becoming ever more filled with a rose tint.

"And Ravus and your big brother" said the prince, chuckling slightly, not knowing Iris had specifically left them out to try and make the moment more special. The two began walking back towards the town centre, when a familiar voice stopped Noctis dead in his tracks.

"Well hey there, handsome. And before you try and shut me up like you did last night, you're in my territory now baby." Said an overtly voice coming from their left.

Who else, but Stella Nox Flueret. The younger sister of the Empress, who would be damned if she left empty handed again.

"So, who's this then? It seems I've been swept under the rug so to speak. Oh, is this your dear childhood friend turned fuck buddy? Why Noctis, I thought you had more tact then that!" she said with a wry smile. Iris turned from blush red, to volcanic red, to extremely upset in the space of what felt like 5 nanoseconds.

"E-Excuse me!" she cried out, running away from Noctis towards where Ravus and Gladiolus were presumably drinking and talking about the state of affairs in the war.

"Now that we're all alone…" Stella put Noctis in a light embrace, which made him feel both incredibly uncomfortable yet aroused at the same time. Noctis cursed his libido for being high for all the wrong reasons.

"…how about you and I go to the Royal Quarters and talk 'business'" she motioned with air quotes.

"What do you mean…"asked Noctis with an incredible amount of angst

"The Treaty of course, but if you're a good boy, you can fuck me!"


	8. Chapter 7: Unforeseen Declaration

**_The Royal Quarters, Dune, Niflheim  
January 1_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXVI/Lunafreya IV, 17:59 PM_**

Immediately in front of Noctis Lucis Caelum, the now highest ranking official of the Kingdom of Lucis under the 17th Amendment of the Lucian Constitution, was four men in tight looking business suits, all pinstriped, and a lady in a provocative white and red dress. These were assumedly the Niflheim lawyers who wanted to make sure that the Treaty Negotiations would go to plan and not disturb the Empresses plans. Noctis meanwhile, had to use all his political experience – all zero percent of it – to try and conjure up some way of dealing with this rather unfortunate situation. He kept thinking about how this would be more suited to Ravus, Gladiolus or even his own father. But Noctis was going to do what he thought was right for the Kingdom, to end these many years of strife and conflict. This struggle needed to end.

"We will now draw attention to the issue of the troubled Northern Regions of our Lands, Ulsteria in Niflheim, and Leinsternios in Lucis. These regions have had many a cultural divide between them, even more so than the nationalities coming into play. We've heard reports – from both camps – that each group does not recognise the other as human, but rather as L'Cie sent to destroy each other." A Nif lawyer spurted out.

"Pft, rather farfetched if you ask me" snarked Noctis. "I suggest a peaceful intervention. Perhaps a cross-border co-education system that is taught by outsiders from Insomnia and Tenebrae?"

"What an excellent idea, Prince Caelum" said Stella, rubbing her calve along the inside of Noctis' leg which in turn, made him rather hot and bothered. Noctis readjusted to try and ward her off, but Stella was having none of it. She was on her turf now and was determined to get some of what she thought was the hottest guy she'd seen for quite some time. His get up was quite different and much more casual than the smart looking Noctis she'd seen the night before, but his well-toned and groomed body was just making her hungry to devour every inch of him…

"T-Thank You, Your Highness. Are there any more items we need to discuss?" asked Noctis.

"Yes. We have one more item to discuss. Turn to Page 45 of the document please." Said a lawyer from behind Stella. Noctis flipped through the pages until it landed on the number he needed it to.

"So what does this entail?" asked the lone Lucian representative.

"Well it's basically a declaration of peace with a few bells and whistles added. We'll leave you alone if you respect our wishes, and vice versa, in theory that's how it works anyways." Said another lawyer in a rather monotone but still professional voice.

"Wishes huh…" Noctis looked down and gave a small smile, thinking about his father, and despite how much of a pain in the ass he was, Noctis couldn't bear to see him in pain, which is why obtaining the Mega-Phoenix was of the upmost importance to him right now.

"Fine, I'll sign the damn thing. On one condition." Said Noctis. The Niflheim party – Stella included – leaned in in anticipation.

"Jeez you're all getting excited…my friends and I are here in Niflheim on official Lucian Royal Family business – not military. The King is of ill health, and I'm going through Niflheim with my frie-, I mean, the Kingsglaive to recover a Mega-Phoenix which can only be found in the Tenebrae area. I want safe passage for me and the Kingsglaive to Tenebrae. I don't want your army or anything causing us any hassle, if we're really going to be at peace, let us start off with this, okay?" said Noctis matter of factly. Stella conferred with one lawyer for a moment and nodded her head in agreement with Noctis' proposal. The two legal representative then signed the Treaty, bringing it into agreement effective tomorrow morning. With that, Stella's lawyers began leaving the room, however Stella quickly rushed over to the door and proceeded to lock it.

Noctis was unsure of whether or not he liked where this was going.

"Come on, big boy" she said with a voice deep with sultry tones, "we have some 'business' to get down to" she said, beckoning him over with her fingers. Noctis really didn't have a choice, and decided to try and get this whole farce over as soon as he could. As soon as he got within her range, Stella pulled Noctis by his shirt and pinned him to her bed, beginning to passionately kiss him in the process. Noctis was bemused, and his face began to contort in odd ways, but he slowly began to accept Stella's kissing and tongue movements, in fact, Noctis began to play along rather well.

"You're…haaa...certainly in mpphh… the mood" mumbled out Noctis

"Nffh..Well, I do have…the hottest guy in nggghhpphh… Eos here" she said, barely able to speak normally due to the intense movements of Noctis body below her. The energy inside her body reached boiling point, and she began to rip off her clothes, tearing valuable sylph silk in the process, but that didn't matter to Stella. All that mattered, was Noctis.

 ** _Downtown Dune, Niflheim  
January 1_** ** _st_** ** _, Lunafreya IV, 18:20 PM_**

Gladiolus and Ravus began to worry. It'd been nearly an hour since they'd last seen the Prince, and Iris claimed to not know any idea of his whereabout.

"Well, this is just fuckin' great, isn't it?" remarked Gladiolus, with the worst hidden sarcasm in the world as he frantically paced around the town square.

"Ms. Iris, are you sure he just vanished from you at the Viewing Area?" Ravus asked, his eyes staring deeply into Iris' pupils.

"Y-Yeah, I took just a minute to look at my InsomNiac page and then when I looked back, h-he was nowhere to be seen.."

As much as she wanted to tell the truth, she couldn't, for not only Noctis' sake, but Ravus' too. If he and Stella were to meet each other again after Ravus betrayed the family, then the trip would be ruined. All she wanted was to spend more time with Noctis, just like when they were young children in school.

But would those great days ever come back? Iris hoped, more than anything else in the world, that they would.

 ** _The Royal Quarters, Dune, Niflheim  
January 1_** ** _st_** ** _, Regis XXVI/Lunafreya IV, 18:35 PM_**

"YES, OH FUCKING YEEEEESSS!" Screamed Stella in ecstasy, digging her fingers into Noctis' already scarred back. Despite the high energy from Stella, Noctis was physically strained, with ever thrust from his pelvis and penis consuming more and more of his energy. He pushed forward though, and for good reason.

 _He'd never felt anything like this._

The white pleasure building up as Stella's moans echoed across the room, the pounding of the bed against the wall, began to get Noctis more into the mood despite his low energy levels. He began to thrust into Stella's wet walls, harder than he had ever done anything else before. Stella moved her legs up, raising them high which made her roll her eyes in pure _fucking joy._ Her precious place was being forced into by the highest ranking member of the Lucian Royal Family, and she'd snatched him from some poor Lucian girl too! The thought of the thrill made her breathing haggard as she began to push for her climax, in unison with Noctis.

"S-Stella I…I'm c-cuMMING!" screamed out the prince as he exploded inside Stella.

"Ahhnnnn, AAAHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" moaned Stella, crying from the pain and joy of orgasm.

It was the first time in a long, long time since someone made her cum.


End file.
